1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for controlling windshield wipers. More particularly, the device and method control the intermittent rate of automatic wipers. The device and method allow a driver of a vehicle to select the windshield wiper rate with a simple adjustment, eliminating excessive distractions. This enhances the safety of the driver during foul weather/rain conditions.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Windshield wipers are well known in the art. Additionally, regulating devices for the windshield wipers are known. However, several disadvantages exist for presently known windshield wiper devices which have controlled rates of oscillation.
Windshield wipers are used on vehicles to wipe precipitation from the windshield, giving the driver an unobstructed view. Windshield wipers are used on automobiles, trucks and other vehicles which have a driver who needs visual references to operate the vehicle. Although primarily used for rain, windshield wipers may be used for any other occurrence, such as snow or hail, which requires a wiping motion of the windshield to give the driver proper visibility. Wipers enable a driver to operate a vehicle in a safe manner.
Traffic accidents occur quite frequently during rain conditions on the roadways. Drivers proceeding along roadways are accustomed to traveling with a full field of vision. Roadways are designed for, and posted speed limits are set for, ideal driving conditions. As rain dims the driver's vision and interferes with the driving characteristics of a vehicle, driving becomes hazardous. The driver's vision is blocked by the water droplets on the windshield and the driver's field of vision is decreased, adding to the importance of the visual reference points which remain discernable by the driver.
Driver reaction time is extremely important during these rain conditions. With decreased visibility, decreased field of vision, unfamiliar driving conditions and reduced lighting along the road, any distraction encountered by the driver increases the possibility of an accident. Especially important, are distractions which occur over significant periods of time, which in the case of driving, may be only seconds. Any occurrence which requires a driver to do mental calculations, to refocus the driver's visual reference from outside to inside the vehicle, or to do any additional manipulative steps while driving, increases the risk of an accident. With rain as a major contributor to the multitude of yearly traffic accidents and the continual increase in the number of cars in the United States and throughout the world each year, there can be anticipated a corresponding increase in the accident rate.
In order to aid drivers to negotiate these rain hazards, the art of windshield wipers has developed to add specific functions to the mechanization of the wipers. These functions have played an important role in decreasing the number of distractions and occurrences of those distractions for drivers. Additionally, these functions have increased the ability of drivers to maintain proper vigilance during driving. One of the most important aspects of the improvements in the windshield wiper art is improving visibility.
Most commercially available wipers have essentially similar structures and functions with some minor differences. These differences include such features as modifications in the sweeping operation of intermittent mode or location of the activating device. Additionally, the wipers are generally molded in one of two patterns, either the wipers sweep at a predetermined rate or the wipers are designed to permit a driver to adjust the sweeping rate with a manually activated fine tuner to optimize the sweeping rate to the amount of rain fall.
Wipers which contain a predetermined wiper rate present a problem in not allowing drivers to optimize the wiper rate to the current rain conditions. This problem is improved with the use of a fine tuner mechanism. With the fine tuner mechanism, the driver adjusts a fine tuner according to the rain conditions currently observed by the driver. However, the driver is forced to continually try various settings to attain the appropriate sweeping interval for the existing rain conditions.
One variation of the fine tuning feature of windshield wiper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,412,296 (Chien et al.). Chien et al. discloses a computer-aided self-learning intermittent windshield wiper controller. The patent discloses pushing a switch to an intermittent mode and turning back to start a wiper cycle. The driver then turns the switch to the intermittent mode a second time when the driver's vision becomes obscured. The interval between the first and second sweep is memorized, and the wiper repeats the memorized period of sweep. The rate of sweep is increased and decreased by switching off the wiper and switching back to the intermittent mode to adjust the wiper rate. Although this refinement of the fine tuning wiper aids the driver, it does not permit a driver to change the wiper speed rate with a minimum number of manual manipulations of the fine tuner mechanism.
In view of the foregoing, improvements in windshield wipers have been desired. In addition to the increase the optimal use of the wiper rate to rain fall, a decrease in the number and time of driver distractions is desired for the device and method to further ensure the safety of the driving public.
The present invention addresses these needs.